Cooking range



June 11, 1946. A, E. sMALLwooD 2,401,977

COOKING RANGE Filed Deo. 50, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l lNVENTOR MMM 'RNEY June 11, 1946. A. E. sMALLwooD COOKING RANGE Filed Dec. 50, 1944 2 Sheetsf-Sheei 2 IN VEINTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 11, 1946 COOKING RANGE Albert E. Smallwood, Taunton, Mass., assigner to Servel, Inc., New York,l N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1944, Serial No. 570,688

My invention relates to cooking ranges, more particularly to oven and broiler doors for cooking ranges. More specifically, my invention relates to an intermediate stop or latch mechanism for o ven and broiler doors.

Some of the advantages of having an intermediate latch mechanism on oven and broiler doors are that either, or both, of the oven or broiler doors may be held in slightly open or ajar position on heating up the desired section to permit the escape of excess moist air, thereby reducing condensation; it may be used for room heating purposes without having the open doors protruding appreciably into the room; and it may also be used for Ventilating the broiler during broiling operations. n

It is an object of my 'invention to provide an improved latch mechanism for oven and broiler doors that is quiet and positive in operation.

My invention, together with its objects and advantages, is more fully set forth in the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of one end of a cooking range illustrating a door latch mechanism in accordance with my'invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially n line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. l, but to a larger scale and showing the door held in ajar position; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail View shackle incorporating my invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated my invention applied to the lower front outside corner of a cooking range oven or broiler. A duplicate mechanism (not shown) is applied to the opposite or lower front inside corner of the oven or broiler. As shown, the range includes an oven I0 provided with an outside wall II, a door frame I2 and a door I3. Door I3 is attached to a door frame in any suitable manner, as by means of a pair of brackets I4 (only one of which is shown) which are welded or otherwise secured to the door frame. Bracket I4, which is generally U-shaped in cross-section, is provided with a guide pin I5. A flat metal strip I6 is welded or otherwise secured to a channel member I1, which forms part of the door structure, and is provided with a slot I8 in its lower end. Slot I8 is adapted to receive and cooperate with guide pin I in supporting "the oven door on the door frame. Oven wall Il inof a spring Z Claims. (Cl. 126-191) cludesan inner panel 20 and an outer panel 2i, with insulating material 22 located therebetween. A sheet metal box or housing 23, located in the lowerjront corner of Wall I I, provides a chamber and support for the latch mechanism. Housing 23 also serves to hold the insulation in place between the wall panels.

My improved latch mechanism includes a bi urcated or U-shaped bracket 24 bolted or otherwise secured to housing 23 vand provided with an opening in the outer end of each of its forks. A lever arm 25, generally U-shaped in cross-section, is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot pin 2B which extends through the openings in bracket 24. Lever arm 25 is provided on its upper end with projections 25a and 25h having openings ln the ends thereof which are adapted to receive a journal pin 21. A ball-bearing roller 2B is mounted on journal pin 21 between projections 25a and 25h of lever arm '25. A spring shackle 29, mounted on journal pin 21, is provided with a cupped portion adapted to receive one end of a compression spring 3|. The opposite end of compression spring 3l is housed 25 ina spring barrel or well 32. An adjusting screw y33 is provided in the lower end of lever arm 25 to limit the outward movement of the upper end of said arm. A shock-absorbing leaf spring 34 functions as a yieldable stop for adjusting screw 33.

A bracket 35, formed of a pair of arms 35a and 35h joined by an arcuate portion 35c, is welded or otherwise secured to the oven door I3, as by welding arm 35a to channel member I'I.l The arcuate portion 35c1of the bracket passes into housing 23 through an elongate slot 36 provided in the door frame I2. Bracket arm 35D is provided with a s'traightportion 31, and convex cam surfaces 38 and 39 joined by a concave cam surface or recess 40. A counter-balancing tension spring 4I is connected at its upper end to bracket arm 35h by means of a stirrup or shackle 42, and at its lower end this tension spring is connected to an adjustable hook bolt 43. Stirrup 42 is pivotally mounted on bracket arm 35h by a pivot 'pin 44 in such manner that the stirrup pivots about this pin and there is substantially no movement between the stirrup and the upper looped end of tension spring 4I. This arrangement eliminates squeaking noises which are often caused by friction of a spring wire on a bracket arm when the spring is connected directly to the arm. Door I3 is provided with a suitable handle 45 whereby it may be conveniently moved between its open and closed position. A suitable compression spring 3|,

stop plate 46 is provided above slot 38 and isv adapted to be engaged by the straighty portion '31 of bracket arm 35b to limit the downward movement of door I3, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1.

In operation, when the door is in closed position, as shown in Fig. `1, compression spring 3| holds roller 28 against cam surface 38 of bracket arm 3517, thereby holding the door in closed position. Tension spring '4| also assists in holding the door in its closed position. It is to' be understood that while springs 3| and 4| are sufficiently strong to positively hold the door in its closed position, they will not unduly hinder movement of the door toward its open position when such movement is desired. When it is desired to openthe door the'handle 45 is grasped and the door is moved outward and downward about the pin and slot supports at,r its lower edge. The cam surface 38 of bracket arm 35b rides over roller 28 and said roller engages the concave or recessed v l portion 40 at which time the motion of the door will be retarded, and unless additional force is applied to the door handle lthe door will be held in this ajar position, asshown in Fig. 3by the action of compression spring 3|. However, should additional force be applied to the door handle, the recessed portion 40 of bracket arm 35h leaves the roller 28 and cam surface 38 passes over and nally leaves .the roller, during which movement, the tension on counter-balance .spring 4| is increased and counterbalances the door during its downward movement. As cam surface 38 leaves roller 28 outward movement of lever arm 25 is limited by adjusting screw 33 which contacts shock-absorbing spring 34. By this arrangement,'roller 28 is positioned' to receivecamv surface 39 when the door again approaches its closed position. Downward movement of the door is continued until the straight portion 31 of bracket arm 35h contacts stop plate 46 at which time rthe door will have reached its horizontal or l fully open position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. l. In closing the door the operation is reversed. That is, the door is moved upward, aided Y by the tension on counter-balance spring 4|, and cam surface 39 again contacts and rides over roller 28. From cam surface 39 the roller engages the'recessed portion 48 of bracket arm 35h, thereby retarding the upward motionof the door unless additional force is applied thereto, In other words, the door is again held in ajar position by When it is desired to fully close the door, it is merely necessary to alo-Y v ply an additional force thereto which will cause cam surface 38 to ride upon the roller-,so as to hold the door closed, as shown in Fig. 1.

While I have illustrated and kdescribed one specie embodiment of my invention, it obviously may take other forms and be variously applied within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cooking range, an oven provided with insulated Walls forming a cooking chamber having a front opening therein, a door frame surrounding said opening, a door supported on said frame for closing said opening, latch mechanism for holding said door in diiferent positions, relative to said opening, said latch mechanism including a housing positioned between said insulated walls, a bracket supported in said housing,

-a lever arm pivotally supported by said bracket,

arollerl journalled on one side of said lever arm, a compression spring mounted on the opposite .side of said lever arm in horizontal alignment with said roller'for biasing said lever arm and roller toward said door, a second bracket rigidly connected to said door, said second 4bracket including an arm projecting into said housing, said armv having a plurality of cam surfaces on its inner end adapted to engage said roller, the construction and arrangement being such that said spring urges said roller intol engagement with one of said cam surfaces to hold said door in closed position and into engagement with another of said cam surfaces to hold said door in ajar position. s

2. Ina cooking range, an oven provided with insulated walls forming a heating chamber having a frontopening therein, a frame surroundingsaid opening, a door supported on said frame for movementbetween a vertical closed position and a horizontalopen position, latch mechanism for holding said door in dilTerent positions, said latch mechanism including a housing positioned between said insulated walls, a, bracket supported in said housing, a lever arm pivotally supported by said bracket, a roller journalled on one end of said lever arm at one side thereof, a compression spring mounted on the opposite side of said lever arm in horizontal alignment with said roller for biasing said lever arm an'd roller toward said door, a second bracket rigidly connected to said door, said second bracket including an arm projecting into said housing, said arm being provided with a plurality of convex cam surfaces separated by an immediately adjacent arcuate recess, and said arm also being provided with a straight portion `substantially perpendicular to the plane of said door, the construction and arrangement being such that said spring urges said roller into contact with one of said convex camv surfaces to hold said door in closed position andA with said arcuate recess to hold said door in ajar position, and said straight portion contacts said frame to limit the movement of `said door toward open position.

ALBERT E. SMALLWOOD. 

